A good book about the British Empire written 100 years ago?

Question

I'm looking for a good book about the British Empire, including any defenses of imperialism and why it was needed or necessary. However, I'm not looking for a modern 'looking back with hindsight' book but rather something was written about 100 years ago and stands out as a major work in this field. Something guys like Cecil Rhodes would have read that provided intellectual arguments for colonialism and the British Empire. I want to get a feel for why they felt that way by reading the books they read back then.

Any suggestions? Anything of such note that it is still required reading today?

Answer 1

I'm not going to give a 100 year old answer.....but pick up a read any of the Flashman series by George McDonald Frasier and you'll have your answers......particularly Flashman and the Dragon, or Flashman at The Charge, Flashman in the Great Game......

politically incorrect, shocking, bawdy and dead on accurate history........and especially Frasier's footnotes......he's read all the first sources....the books you are looking for.......and cite them in the footnotes..not only the obvious, like Kipling, but the journals of soldiers and missionaries and politicians..

Answer 2

Hello,

By the gods please give Yankee Sailor his 10 points.
The author George MacDonald Fraser gets right into the mind of this Character and you get a great insight into the Victorian mind. I suggest though you rent the movie or read the book, Tom Browns School Days by Thomas Hughes:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033169/

Once you start the books you can't put them down. Though a fictional charcater, the author does a maticulous job at history and documents, makes references and tons of foot notes.

Cheers,

Michael